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I z'sheets-Sheet 1. lR. TURNBULL. P'ontopn and-Dock. No. 242,077.l Patented May .24, 188|.

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` R.TURNBULL. Pontoon and Dock.

, No1; 242,077. 'Patented may 24,1881.

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ROBERT TURNBULL, oF-soUTn sHiELDs, COUNTY ,oF DURHAM, ENGLAND.

PoNToN AND DCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersy Patent No. 242,077, dated May 24, 1 881. y Application filed March 25, 1881. (No model.) Patented in England September 14, 1878.

To allfwhom it may concer-n:

= Be it known that I, ROBERT TURNBULL, a subject ot' the Queen ot' Great Britain, residing at South Shields, Durham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating-Boutons, Penton-Docks, and Method of Berthing for Ships Repairs, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain No. 3,637, bearing date 14th September, 1878,) of which the following is a specification.

The objectv of my invention is to so construct or arrange ioatin g docks or pontons that they may, when desirable, be fitted to rise and fall Yin a berth and be swung or rotated round from one end upon a center post (dolphin) or cylinder projecting vertically above from the ground at a slight distance from the berth.r

The post or cylinder is in deep water, and when the dock or ponton is swung about a quarter of a circle it can be sunk to'the desired depth by letting in the amount ot' water. A vessel can then be tloated in and there secured, the ponton with the vessel on it being then raised by ordinary means (pumping) until she is alittle above the level of the berth. The whole is then swung round over'the berth, the vessel being then high and dry. for repairs or otherwise. In some cases the ponton is provided with acradle, so that when in the berth the ponton is allowed to sink by opening the valves. The vessel on the cradle can be hauled up a slip, whose rails are arranged as a continuation ot`.the cradle-rails. The ponton can then be furnished with another cradle, and the foregoing operation repeated for lifting another vessel.

In this case I purpose arranging my l'ulcrum post or cylinder so that the ponton may deliver a vessel onto the rails or slips provided radially, taking the post or cylinder as a center. There may be any number of slips so arranged, and one ponton may be made available for several posts or cylinders at the deepwater parts of neighboringrepairing or building yards, in which case the recessed portion ot' the ponton, when arranged around or over the post orcylinder, can have stays or retaining-bars fitted to prevent it leaving the post when the swinging is taking place, such as might happenin a tideway.

A ponton attached to a fulerum post or cyl- -inder may be fitted within an ordinary wet dock according to my invention, and then the ponton, before. or after the vessel is upon it, can be slewetl round to suit the slips up which the vessel has to be moved, supposing there are several slips arranged radially therefrom. In this case the pivot end of the ponton would be a fixture, so to speak, to the fulcrum post or cylinder.

My fulcrumed ponton may be made 'available for lifting heavy weights from other vessels by titting sheer-legs or a crane-jib or other apparatus atone end, the lifting power being in the ponton itself.

I have referred to providing a recess in the end ot1 a ponton or floating-dock; but I do not limit myself thereto, as other modes ot' accommodating a ponton-tloating dock to a fulcrum or pivot for the purposes ot my invention can be adopted.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ponton, A, fnlcrumed to a dolphin or cylinder-post, B, and with a vessel upon it within a berth, C. Fig. 2 is a plan ot the same with the ponton cut short on one side.

The after part D ot the ponton is formed with an opening; but it may be full-ended and provided with keys or stays to tit over the dolphin, if desired.

E is the ordinary high-water line, and when the ponton is not engaged it can be swung round a quarter-circle or a half-circle, so as to be clear of the berth C. It can then be sunk to the desired depth by pumping into it a sucient quantity of Water, in order to adapt it to receive a vessel which has to be repaired or otherwise operated upon to be drawn over it and lashed in position.

buoyant enough to lift the vessel above the water-level E, the ponton being then swung round into the position shown.

The deck of the ponton may be provided with rails, on which a cradle, G, can be arranged, so that the vessel can be hauled up a slipway, H, to enable the ponton to be used in a similar manner for the reception of another vessel.

. Figs. 2 and 3 show several slipways arranged radially from the dolphin B, as at I J, with vessels upon them. By this means several vessels can be brought into a ship-repairingyard,

The water is then pumped out of the ponton, and this is made' und tlleponton be available as a lloating-dock; or it may be swung round to be clear of' the berth C, when, by removing the keys K, it can be hauled away to be used at another repairing-yard for a similar operation, if desired, Whether the other yard be provided with a dolphin at the entrance or not.

I purpose making my ponton with air-chambers L M N at the bow,center, and stern only, the latter being the larger of the three, so that the ponton can be utilized for lifting heavy weights-such as boilers, big guns, &e.from barges or other vessels placed near the dolphin for that purpose.

Fig. 4 is a stern view oi' my ponton with projecting cheeks Z Z, which, with the keys l( K, embrace the dolphin B, the dotted line W W showing the depth the ponton can be lowered to outside the berth, where the dolphin is tixed vertically in the ground.

The dolphin B may be close tothe berth, or at a distance therefrom, according to the arrangement of the berth or ofthe yard in which the repairing of the vessel has to take place.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a ponton and acylinder, post, or dolphin arranged iu connection with a ship-repairing dock, the ponton being capa ble ot' swinging motions from a shallow berth to deep water, or conversely, without leaving the cylinder, post, or dolphin, substantially as described, whereby vessels may be received from the water and delivered in dock, and conversely, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

{OBP} 1T TURNBULL.

Witnesses JAMES Snon'r, WILLIAM OWEN, Clerks to Messrs. Mather, Cockcroft L' Mather,

Solicitors; Nezecastle-on-Tyne. 

